Kudo’s to the Mille Lacs County Board of Commissioners, on Feb 3,2026 they passed this resolution to forward to the Secretary of The Interior, Douglas Bergum. PERM filed along side MERF an Amicus Brief regarding Law Enforcement and boundary issues. The boundary was not expanded because of that lawsuit. PERM is signing a formal letter of support for this resolution to perhaps settle the boundary issue once and for all. Along with new boundaries would come different wildlife harvest regulations. PERM strives for Equal Hunting and Fishing Rights For All !

Board of County Commissioners
Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
Resolution No.: 02-03-26-03
REQUESTING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR VACATE SOLICITOR’S OPINION M-37032, OPINION ON THE BOUNDARIES OF THE MILLE LACS RESERVATION

WHEREAS, the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the District Court decision that the Mille Lacs Reservation had not been disestablished, and criticized both the lower court and the Department of Interior for failing to follow Supreme Court precedent in issuing opinions on the status of the Mille Lacs Reservation that were not subject to judicial review [Mille Lacs Band Ojibwe v. Madore, 128 F.4th 929 (2025)];

WHEREAS, the Department of Interior Opinion that was criticized by the Eighth Circuit was the Solicitor’s Opinion M-37032, Opinion on the Boundaries of the Mille Lacs Reservation dated November 20, 2015;

WHEREAS a review of the history, treaties, Congressional Acts, agreements and judicial decisions all confirm that the Mille Lacs Reservation was disestablished over 150 years ago and that Solicitor’s Opinion M-37032 issued during the Obama Administration is unsupported, creates confusion
regarding the status of the former Mille Lacs Reservation, is being used by Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison to justify the State’s changed position on the Reservation and must be vacated by the Department of Interior; …